Can senior NCO’s make soldiers drive from home to a duty during harsh conditions such as frozen roads?

I can't believe this is even a current topic for conversation. I did ALL of my eight years in service overseas, form mid eighties to early nineties (Germany and several deployments from there and back.) Back then it was the soldier's duty to be at his post on time, every time, regardless of distance and conditions. If you're quartered 30 minutes away from post, and you need to be there in five, it's your fucking problem. Blizzard, floods, hazardous conditions for your POV? YOUR problem. Alert or no alert. You have to be where your unit needs you to be. On time. At least that's the way it was in my time. I don't know how it is since all these candy asses took over my Army.

So you are proposing, indirectly, that the troop in the barracks gets screwed, because you can't drive? Nice guy...not!

Sr NCO's are required to make tough decisions, most of them consider all aspects before making it. If you are told to go to work, go to work. This is the army, not the YMCA. we are expected to operate in bad conditions.

Another reason to not allow military members to live off base. Your choice to live off base. Getting permission used to include the understanding that you would still be responsible to be at your duty station on time. When I lived off base, as a single airman, I still had to come in early for a week of dorm duty. I didn't live there, but I was still responsible for that week.

If the weather is looking bad your best choices would be to leave early, or get in touch with someone who is willing to swap duty with you. Then get permission for that swap. Or move back on base.

Let me call a Wahmbulance for the coddled generation. Your mission takes you through a minefield or enemy occupied jungles or skies - do you defer your duty to someone closer? Suck it up buttercup at least you have a heated vehicle and you're not being shot at!

SPC Jesus Diaz,

I don’t know how long you were in the Army, or if you still are. I can tell you one thing for certain. I spent a few weeks shy of 11 years on active duty, and I lived off base, or on base housing for my entire time with my wife and kids. I pulled Assistant CQ, guard duty, fire detail, courtesy van driver, CQ, Sergeant of the Guard, and SDNCO without regards for any type of weather. As a married soldier living off base, or on base housing, I was expected to pull duty just like any other soldier living in the barracks. I was expected to arrive on duty early during inclement weather, pull duty, and fill out the duty log just like Pvt. Joe Snuffy that lived on the 3rd floor in the barracks. It was my ass if I didn’t make it. Standing in front of the 1SG’s desk, or the CSM’s desk, on the yellow feet at attention, didn’t sound like much fun, so I was always early for duty.

Let’s go one step further. I was in tanks, and stationed at Ft. Carson, Panzer Kaserne in Germany, Ft. Knox twice, and Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt. During the winter, we would have to rotate to do cold weather starts on our platoon’s tanks. No matter where I was stationed, our PSG made up a cold weather start roster, and each one of them didn’t give a rat’s ass if you lived in the barracks, or off base. We all had our share of cold weather starts...no matter if it was bite ass freezing with a blizzard. We were expected to do our duty without bitching about it. So, carry on soldier, and suck it up!

SPC Diaz - if your name is on the duty roster, then yes, your responsibility is to report for duty. We are not a "Fair weather" army. Unless the Garrison Commander issues a "red" order for roads, then you will report. You, and not the Army, Chose to live 15+ minutes away. You, and only you, chose to go home instead of sleeping in the barracks prior to your duty shift, and it is on you to leave your home at an appropriate time to report for duty. Very very rarely do conditions like you describe occur unpredicted. Likely you knew 5 days in advance what the weather conditions would be like.

Passing your duty off because it is "unsafe" for you to report. What makes it safe for them to report and assume your duty?

I had an E-4 that would always go home to Maine from Fort Devens each weekend if he had no duty that weekend. In the winter, however, he sometimes didn't return until mid-week because he got snowed in and would call the 1SGT to tell him he couldn't make it back to base because of the weather. That went on for about 3 Weeks until I told him he couldn't go home unless he could get back by 7 AM on Monday. He went to the CO and was told the same thing. End of story. He started getting back Sunday night. Strange how things change when you HAVE to do something.

I had duty as the BN Staff Duty Officer and I was required to come in a day earlier to avoid the bad weather. They can also do the same for you. Be cautious. Saying only those on post can perform staff duty is singling out those in barracks. You can always try to trade the shift or just go.

I was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi (Right on the Gulf Coast). We had a guy home on leave in Michigan that had to come back and report to duty during a Hurricane Alert. Biloxi was directly in the eye path, Michigan was in absolutely no danger. Still he reported back. That was his obligation. You shouldn't need a reg to perform your duty. The military (all Branches including the Air Force) doesn't issue tissue.